


Peppermint Winter in Gravity Falls

by AllDressedUpAndNaked



Category: Gravity Falls
Genre: Christmas Fluff, Fluffy, M/M, Seasonal one shot, Snow, So safe for work/school you may want to read out loud, So sweet you may get cavities- remember to brush, Wendy Corduroy makes a brief appearance, cuteness abounds, lots of snow
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-19
Updated: 2017-12-19
Packaged: 2019-02-17 03:56:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13068609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllDressedUpAndNaked/pseuds/AllDressedUpAndNaked
Summary: A day in the life of Dipper and Bill...  It's the first snow of winter, and Bill's first experience of the stuff as a human.  Just a cute one shot based off of one of my favorite Owl City songs of the Christmas genre, Peppermint Winter.  I recommend listening to it at least once, but be prepared, for it is a cuteness that some may find impossible to listen to only once.





	Peppermint Winter in Gravity Falls

The boy sat on the sill of the triangular window in the attic of his family's worn down shack in the middle of the forest of Gravity Falls, Oregon; pools of hot cocoa in the orbs staring longingly into the gray-white clouds that hung teasingly low in the murky winter firmament. They were snow clouds. It was only a matter of time, now... And then it happened.

The first streak of white floated past his vision, too brief and fleeting to register in the excited boy's head. Was it? Could it have been...?

Soon, another glistening piece of frozen sky was floating down. And then another...and another. The pieces were getting bigger and bigger; the clouds impatiently releasing their fluffy treasure in greater and greater quantities.

"There it is, Bill! The first snow of winter! It's finally here, and on the night before Christmas Eve, too!"

Dipper was as giddy as a child who had just spied a bounty of colorfully wrapped, gold and silver bow adorned packages of both the outrageously large and peculiarly small size under the ten foot tinsel-laden Nobel Spruce at the bottom of the staircase on Christmas morning.

"You mean... that stuff that causes innumerable painful and/or deadly accidents, brings on hypothermia if caught out in too long, and creates excruciating back-breaking work for humans needing to clear it out of their way? Yeah, that's an event to be heralded in, alright." The demon smirked at his favorite human. "Don't get me wrong, I would _love_ to see all these things happen to every meatsack inhabiting this backwater town. It's just that now I _am_ one of those meatsacks, and I really don't want any of those things happening to me."

"Well, when you put it that way, it does sound bad...but that's not how I see it!" Starry eyes gazed out the window, the sky now burning with a pinkish-orange glow behind the opaque gray as night began to fall on the forest. "Just wait, tomorrow morning I'll show you just how fun the snow can be."

Bill had already snuggled into the covers of his bed, the one once belonging to Dipper's alpha twin, having already grabbed extra blankets from the linen closet. Even though his internal temperature burned hotter than a normal human, the chill of the surrounding air was something he had yet to get used to.

"The only way you're getting me to go outside in this weather is if you drag me out, Pine Tree." The blond smirked again and let out a small chuckle before adding, "And there's no way your scrawny butt is doing that."

"Hey!" the almost offended teen whined. He turned to face the other. "I'll have you know that working for Grunkle Stan over the years has had its benefits. I could probably manage to drag you out if I tried."

"Sure, Pine Tree...whatever you say." He rolled over to face the wall while pulling the covers around his neck. "Turn the light out, will you..."

"What? You're going to sleep already? But it's barely six o'clock," the boy continued to pout from the window sill. "Come here and watch the snow fall with me. Pleeease?" He knew the childish plea could not be ignored.

"Nnngh..." the low groan came from the face half buried in his pillow. "Ok, ok... keep your shirt on." The blond begrudgingly unwrapped himself from the covers, swung his legs over the side, and stood up and dragged himself over to where the bubbly brunet sat. "On second thought, you _could_ remove it..." The smile could be heard in Bill's now cheeky voice. That earned him a cute punch to the shoulder. "What? I just think you're more worth looking at than the frozen pieces of water outside," he said in his own defense as he shifted the teen over, positioning himself so that his favorite human could sit between his legs and lean back on him as he leaned against the frame of the dormer.

Dipper's cheeks flushed at the compliment; his heart fluttering at the thought that he was visually appealing to the supernatural being. He settled into the blond's embrace, soaking in the warmth behind him that seemingly permeated his bones. Who needed a space heater when you had someone like this to snuggle with?

"See. Isn't it pretty? So silent and peaceful."

Bill finally turned his head to look outside, thinking what he was going to see would be as fascinating as watching paint dry. But then, he saw it. The heavy fall of thick, clustered flakes, the weightless drifting of those that remained isolated; it was, in its own way, mesmerizing. He noticed how the trees began to lose their solid sheaths of green, branches beginning to be outlined by puffs of white. The ground, similarly, was starting to get swallowed up in whiteness, blades of grass peeking out as if on their last breath before drowning in a sea of frozen fractals. It was as if the snow was suffocating all the color from the world...a thought he could appreciate.

Bill hummed in contentment of the moment. He had his human in his arms, and the sight outside really was peaceful, albeit in a smothering sort of way. He really was enjoying himself. "It's breathtaking, Pine Tree. Just like you." Bill splayed his fingers, encouraging the other to lace theirs with his, to which a blushing Dipper happily complied.

The brunet lolled his head to the side, resting against Bill's chest. They remained this way for the remainder of the evening.

__________________

 

With morning came the flood of golden sunlight spilling into the window where the two had sat and watched the snow fall the night before. The rays of warmth burned through heavy lids, causing the teen to stir in his bed. Realizing the sun was already high enough to completely fill the room, he shot out of bed with trepidation that so much time had already been lost, and nearly fell back onto it when his feet made contact with the cold floor boards.

"Bill!" he whisper-shouted, not wanting to startle the blond too much. The demon stirred a bit in his own bed, but made no move to respond, either verbally or physically. "Biiill~ Come ooon! It's already late morning and we have so much to do today!" That childish whining sang in Bill's ears.

"Alright, alright! I'm up..." he trailed off as he blinked up at the boy hovering above. "Sheesh, one would think that _you_ were the being of pure energy." Dipper snorted at the blond's musing.

He danced over to his closet and hurriedly dressed himself for the day, layering with as much as possible to insulate from the frigid weather, but not bulking up too much so as to not be able to move comfortably. Long underwear, top and bottom, usually worked nice. He buttoned up a flannel, threw on some jeans and two layers of socks, then fished around in a drawer for a stocking cap. The soft feeling of knit cashmere blend hit his fingertips, and he knew he'd found it.

The blue and white piece of winter clothing was lovingly made for him by his sister, a Christmas present from last year. Now, firmly attached to his head, it was about to serve its purpose.

He turned round to find the demon had already conjured up his own attire for the day. A slowly shaking head and glaring brown eyes had Bill wondering what he'd done wrong, already. "What?" He threw his hands up, shrugging.

"That's not acceptable clothing for going outdoors in this weather," Dipper said dryly. A coy grin grew on the demon's face.

"I know. I never said I was going outside." Immediately, Dipper put on his most pathetic, sappiest, puppy-dog eyes he could muster. "Oh no, you're not going to con me with that face again. I can see right through that, you know."

Even though it usually worked for Dipper, he could tell in Bill's voice that he was not going to be easily swayed this time. He really didn't want to go outside. No matter, because Dipper knew how to persuade him best.

He stalked up to the blond, wrapping his arms around his waist. He kissed the side of his cheek, soft and lovingly, before whispering something in his ear. The demon's eyes grew wide, his own human heart skipping a beat at what he just heard.

The blue and white winter hat did not necessarily cover the head of the sweet and innocent, it was also protecting a storehouse of the sassy and sensual.

Thirty seconds later, the front door of the shack was flung open, two appropriately dressed boys stepping out from it. Well, one stepping, one flat out running. Bill looked down at the snow already surrounding his shoes, the accumulation being a few inches on the porch, alone. Then, he looked back up to see his human frolicking in the feet-deep snow drifts beyond the steps. He smiled wide, remembering the whisper in his ear, knowing it would be well worth it.

Dipper took in an exaggerated breath through his nose, and released through an 'o' of his lips a swoosh of misty air. "Do you smell that, Bill? The cool, sharp, freshness of winter? It's like a peppermint candy in your mouth!"

"All I smell is cold," Bill offered. He still hadn't moved from his position on the porch. "And I've never eaten a peppermint candy."

"Well, we'll have to fix that! But first..." the teen trailed off as he turned to do something in the snow. A swift moving ball of white suddenly flew in Bill's direction, hitting him square in the gut. "...Snowball fight!" the brunet yelled out. Bill wasted no time in returning fire.

"Hmm...Pelting each other with rounded clumps of this stuff. Now _that's_ my idea of fun," the blond laughed while getting in a few direct hits of his own. He had to be mindful of how hard he packed the snow, the heat from his bare hands causing the snow to melt a bit and making it easier to compact into a menacingly hard ball of ice. He had stubbornly refused to wear gloves, saying the cold wouldn't bother him. The angry red sting in his skin was telling him otherwise.

The two continued their back and forth barrage until the tell tale rumble of hunger ripped through Dipper's stomach. He had forgotten all about breakfast; too eager to get outside. Calling a temporary cease-fire, they headed inside to refuel.

After a bowl of hot oatmeal, a mug of hot tea, and Dipper convincing Bill that he needed to wear gloves, they were off again. Bill secretly appreciated the protection from the cold for his hands, knowing they would probably be out all day.

The brunet ran out first, again, and this time was heading for the driveway, where the snow was still a smooth blanket of untouched purity. Bill stood at the base of the porch steps, watching him. Dipper seemed to glide along in the snow with angelic grace. But then, suddenly, he slipped. Luckily, the several inches of snow on the ground made for good padding as the teen fell face forward into it.

Bill doubled over with laughter before making his way over to find the boy still face down, half buried in the snow. Arms were stretched out wide, legs together, like he had been starting a swan dive. His heart inadvertently raced. Was he hurt? Did he get knocked unconscious from the impact? He suddenly felt very guilty for laughing.

"Pine Tree! Hey? You alright?" he prodded, voice dripping with concern.

The outstretched arms began to move. He watched with curiosity as they began to fan up and down while legs moved open and closed. "Pines, what are you-" The teen began to giggle before pushing himself up into a standing position.

He turned and smiled at Bill. "Yup! Just fine. And thanks for your concern for my well-being," he kissed the other's cheek, "it's so cute," and then darted off towards the back of the shack.

"I am NOT. CUTE!" Bill yelled after him, not moving from his spot. "I just don't want you to break, is all!" He glanced down at the ground where his human had been laying. "Did he just make...an _angel_ in the snow?"

Following deep footprints left in otherwise untouched snow, Bill easily found where Dipper had run off to. He was sitting, leaning against the old tree stump where he had chopped many a pile of wood over the years, gazing up at the clear winter sky. Had there not been such a close, snow covered forest to minimize his view, he would have noticed the heavy gray clouds building steadily in the distance and heading straight for Gravity Falls.

"So, what next, Pine Tree?" He smiled down on the teen, hovering over him from atop the stump so that he towered above, their view of each other's faces upside down.

Over the next couple of hours, Dipper showed Bill all the wonderful things you could build out of snow. On one side of the yard, they made a snowman, complete with scarf and hat, and all the other details. Bill couldn't understand why something made to mimic a person would have a carrot for a nose. Dipper told him to just go with it.

After the snowman, it was time to build an igloo. It took Dipper considerable energy just to convince the human-demon that constructing shelter out of snow was well worth the effort ("Why on earth would you build a shelter out of the stuff you want to be sheltered _from_?!), but after starting, Bill really got into it. They ended up with a two feet thick walled, one foot thick roofed, probably fully sustainable, igloo. Like, you could really stay for an extended period of time inside, if you wanted to.

And they did just that. They stayed inside their shelter of snow and talked and cuddled until the light outside began to significantly fade.

"I suppose we should be getting inside before it gets too dark, yeah?" There was a bit too much hope dripping from his words. Dipper wasn't ready to go inside just yet, though.

"Nope. It's going to be a full moon tonight, and I have a surprise for you before we go back in." Dipper had a devious smile on his face, causing Bill to almost worry about what more the kid could possibly want to do.

Almost as if on cue, the sound of bells, lots and lots of bells, could be heard in the distance, gradually getting louder. Bill narrowed his eyes at the boy, "What did you do?"

Dipper didn't answer him, just moved him in the direction of the parking lot where they could see what was coming. A very large, black horse came trotting into view. It was pulling an even larger sleigh. A smiling red-head, donning her heaviest of plaid flannel winter attire, was driving.

Wendy had mentioned in conversation some weeks ago that she had access to a horse-drawn sleigh and would happily take Dipper for a ride when the first snow came. He had secretly texted her this morning and made arrangements for her to pick them up for a nighttime ride.

"Hey Dipper!" Wendy called out as she pulled up to the two boys standing in the shack's parking lot. She looked surprised to see two people. "Hey...Dipper's friend?!" She quickly dismounted from her spot on the sleigh, walking up and giving her longtime friend a big hug, to which Bill raised an eyebrow. "Uh, you didn't tell me you had someone over...," letting go of Dipper, she leaned towards Bill, "Hi! I'm Wendy, pleasure to meet you."

Bill glanced over to Dipper, who gave him a 'play nice' look. He quickly obliged. "Hello, Wendy. The name's Bill," he took her hand, giving it a formal kiss on the back of it, "and the pleasure is all mine."

Nobody in Gravity Falls was this formal, or charming, causing Wendy to temporarily forget who she was and why she was there. When she finally snapped out of it, seconds later, she ushered the boys into the sleigh, goofy grin still lingering on her face.

"Hop in, guys! Time for a moonlight glide through the forest." No sooner had she said the words out loud, then she was hit with the realization of who Dipper's friend really was. What pair of guys would arrange for a sleigh ride...at night...just the two of them? She looked back over her shoulder to see that the boys had found the heavy wool blanket she had brought, and were snuggled close together under it. When her eyes met Dipper's, she gave a knowing wink, and they set off.

Wendy took them through the forest on old logging roads that she knew well. Moonlight flooded through the trees, fluid enough to sip on, and painting the whitened scenery with a silvery sheen. With Dipper snuggled up under his chin, Bill found himself to be quite content. Even with a runny nose and the bite of frost nipping at his toes, he could say with all certainty that in this moment, he was the most alive that he had ever felt in his millions of years of existence. A smile, genuine and expressive of true joy, grew wide on his face.

Just before making it back to the shack, the sky had grown cloudy once again, and flakes began to fall around them. Dipper was sticking out his tongue, trying to catch them. One particularly large clump landed on his tongue, and he drew it in, savoring the cold moisture.

Bill looked at him, quizzically, "Why did you do that?"

"Because the falling snow has a sweetness to it like nothing else. Go ahead, stick out your tongue and try it!" The teen's enthusiasm for the mundane made Bill laugh.

"No, that's ok, I believe you, I don't have to taste it."

"Well, your loss," Dipper shrugged and went right back to catching the fluffy white on his tongue.

By the time they pulled into the parking lot, the snow fall had become quite heavy. They said their goodbyes to Wendy, and wished her safe travel back home. After stomping off as much snow from their boots as they could, the boys returned to the welcoming warmth of the shack. Bill took in the ambiance and spirit of what he once thought was an overly-decorated-in-Christmas themed living room with a newly acquired appreciation for the season. The delight and energy that spilled from his human today couldn't let him see it otherwise.

_____________________

 

Late that night, they sat on the couch, wrapped up in each other and the warmth of the fireplace. In the corner, Christmas tree lights glowed softly, and enticing packages lay underneath, calling out to be opened. Outside, the storm was in full force; the wind whistling past the windows, blowing flurries of snowflakes in swirling air currents.

"Thank you, Pine Tree," Bill nearly whispered.

Dipper giggled, "For what? Dragging you out into the cold, menacing snow all day?" but when he looked up, he saw a face that was genuine and sincere.

"No, for showing me what brings you joy and happiness in what I could only see before as miserable, painful, or potentially deadly. There's something about this season that has made you even more cheerful than you usually are. Does everybody get that way this time of year?"

"Well, maybe not everyone, but most people do display some level of elevated cheeriness during the holidays. Who knows where it goes afterwards, but it seems to return faithfully every year."

Bill hummed in response. Then it suddenly occurred to him that his Pine Tree owed him a promise, and he wasn't about to let it be forgotten. He leaned over to whisper a cute little reminder.

"Oh, don't worry," Dipper reassured, "I haven't forgotten about that." He kissed Bill's cheek and then looked over to the Christmas Tree. "How about we open presents first?"

Bill looked at him suspiciously, but complied. "Sure, I guess." He got up and reached for one that had come a few days ago, delivered by UPS. It was Dipper's gift from Mabel. "Here, start with this one."

The rather large package was dropped unceremoniously on the floor in front of the teen who wasted no time ripping off the colorful paper and tearing into the box. "It better not be..." he began, but then stopped as he grabbed hold of what was inside and began throwing them everywhere around him, "...yep, it is." There he sat, surrounded by about four dozen pairs of socks. He giggled. "Ah, Mabel."

Finally, when every last present had been opened, and the fire had died down to just embers, Dipper gave Bill a telling look. He offered his hand, which Bill eagerly took, and the two boys, a demon and his favorite human, headed for their favorite room in the shack.

_Oh yes, this day was certainly worth it..._

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Merry Christmas to all!
> 
> Don't forget to brush your teeth...


End file.
